Matt Flynn Should Be Done In The NFL

By Bryan Zarpentine

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

To the surprise of no one, the Oakland Raiders cut ties with quarterback Matt Flynn on Monday. For two straight seasons, Flynn has been handed a starting job heading into training camp, but somehow managed to lose it during the preseason. After getting cut by the Raiders, this should be the end of the line for Flynn, who has done nothing to deserve another job in the NFL, not even as a backup.

Flynn made two starts during his time as a backup with the Green Bay Packers, and took advantage of an incredibly talented group of skill position players the Packers had at the time, putting up gaudy numbers in both starts. He turned those two starts into a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, and then a second chance with the Raiders after losing his starting job last preseason to Russell Wilson.

Getting usurped by Wilson is understandable as he has become one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. However, Flynn getting unseated by the unproven Terrelle Pryor in Oakland raises a red flag about Flynn’s viability as a quarterback in the NFL. This is especially true considering the fact that the Raiders didn’t even have an open competition heading into the preseason, as it was presumed the job would belong to Flynn.

Flynn got a chance to start in Week 4 against the Washington Redskins while Pryor sat out with a concussion. However, Flynn led the Raiders to just seven points, with the Raiders getting their other touchdown on special teams, and threw a critical pick-six to rookie David Amerson.

Flynn also fumbled the ball three times, losing two of them as he failed to add on to the lead Oakland had at halftime. Meanwhile the Raiders’ defense struggled to contain the Washington offense for four quarters without more support from Flynn and the offense.